The extra burden precocious puberty puts on children
• Going through puberty is hard enough without having to navigate the treacherous landscape as an 8-year-old
Being a teenager can be described in one word: awkward. We ’ ve all been there. The acne, insecurities, difficulty making friends and sudden growth spurts that exist within those years are experiences most of us are glad we won’t have to endure again.
Puberty is uncomfortable for teenagers at any age, but, with research showing that the process is starting earlier than it did before, what are the implications for children who may not be equipped to deal with this difficult stage of life?
Precocious puberty is when children ’ s bodies begin to change earlier than normal, commonly beginning at 8 years in girls and 9 in boys. Puberty is the physical, hormonal and behavioural changes that children undergo that results in reproductive function.
In a study conducted in Ankara, Turkey, in 2023, a group of medical professionals aimed to find out the reasons behind precocious puberty, which is more common in girls.
“The age of puberty is shifting, and there are rising worries about earlier puberty due to an increased risk of obesity, depression and [other] psychological issues,” the study, published in the Frontiers in Endocrinology journal, states.
While there is no clear reason as to why this is taking place, a few factors have been considered by endocrinologists.
“Genetic and environmental factors may impact the onset of puberty in animals, such as diet, chronic illnesses, geographic location, stressful situations and pollution. Moreover, one of these factors is light exposure, which has recently been intensively researched as a possible contributor to the diversity in puberty timing.”
Other factors are issues with the brain and unusual hormonal activity.
Reasons aside, there has also been research conducted into the psychological effect of puberty beginning earlier than expected, specifically body changes. A study published in Molecular Psychiatry, also in 2023 states: “A number of studies have found that in females, earlier pubertal timing is associated with internalising problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, [as well as] externalising behaviours. Similarly in males, both early and late timing have been related to internalising and externalising problems, while others have failed to identify any associations.”
Erin* (18) started her period in grade 3 and says was on birth control when she was 12.
“I was very lonely, I never really felt like I connected to anyone. My mom luckily taught me a lot about what was happening. When I was 12, I was your normal little girl and when I was 13 I completely changed. I was bullied and when I turned 13, I wasn’t popular or anything, but people would speak to me, people were nice to me and there were a lot more boys in my life. It made me realise that your appearance does make a difference.”
GAINING WEIGHT
Erin says she ended up developing an eating disorder as a result of gaining weight in her preteen years but also due to the effect her mother had on her when she spoke about herself.
“I remember when I was 5 years old, she would be getting dressed and looking in the mirror and she would body check a lot and say things like,
‘ I’m so fat’. I’d have to reassure her a lot and I think it imprinted on me in a way. When I was about 11, I started gaining a lot of weight and my family started pointing it out so I wouldn’t go do things that I usually would, like swimming, I started wearing baggy clothes — I felt very insecure. When I was 14, I stopped eating and I was very focused on my body. No one said anything specifically, I just think it was social media and also my mind.”
Natasha*, also 18, began developing physically very early, which was confusing for her. “My breasts started growing when I was around 8; I was very, very young. We thought that something was wrong, but the doctor said that nothing was wrong. My mom never taught me anything about puberty in general so I had to figure out everything by myself.
I thought I was dying when I had my first period, which was around 9 years old.”
Parent coach Ayanda Tetyana emphasises the role that parents can play during this stage. “I feel that as parents we have to be more open-minded and prepared about this stage that they’re at, so that we can also provide way more support. I remember when I first had to buy my own sanitary towels, I walked into the store and I was so embarrassed. So giving this information to our children, making sure that this is something that is going to happen; and how [to treat it] when it does. This is so we don’t [contribute] to our children having unnecessary traumas.”
Natasha did experience some trauma, but not in the way one might expect. “It was weird because one breast started developing before the other. I hid away because it looked weird and it felt weird. I was feeling a lot of things I didn’t know how to express so I started going on social media because I started becoming very intrigued with breasts in general as a kid. I went on my dad’s phone and searched
“breasts ” and porn sites came up and I didn’t hesitate to explore them because I was very curious. That then became a regular thing and over time, it did end up escalating.”
This discovery formed Natasha’s perception of relationships and sex, at the tender age of 9.
“I struggled to interact with friends normally and I didn’t know how much sex actually meant. It was a very warped perception. In my household, the family dynamic was off and I also saw that same behaviour in both my mom and dad.”
Natasha says she grew up in a household where sex was spoken about openly and boundaries were non-existent. She would often hear her father complaining about her mother not giving in to his sexual desires and sometimes, he would even complain directly to Natasha and her younger sisters. “I thought it was super normal and when I was about 12, I got my first boyfriend and he wanted to [have sex] but because I thought this was my priority, I did it without any enjoyment. During the month or so that we were together, it was terrifying. He was much older (16), I had no boundaries and I didn ’ t want to say no. I started harming myself with a lot of self-hatred because he never looked happy.”
The Molecular Psychiatry journal article links early puberty and the emotional effects that Natasha mentions.
“Adolescents experiencing more physical development compared to their peers may encounter psychosocial challenges related to selfesteem and social interactions, potentially leading to feelings of loneliness that can lead to the development of internalising behaviours, as well as a tendency to seek social connections with older age groups that increases exposure to opportunities to engage in risk-taking behaviours.”
In SA, which has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates globally, with one in four girls falling pregnant before the age of 20, the increase in precocious puberty may have devastating effects, which is why education around not only puberty but safe sex is essential.
COUNSELLOR
Erin says institutions do not pay enough attention to education around puberty and its surrounding issues.
“I was very open and would speak to a teacher but it didn’t really have an impact. She got pads for me, she tried to get me to talk to the school counsellor but they did nothing. I feel like there’s not a lot of help for it, that there aren’t a lot of people you can go to, especially in my school. You were judged if you went to the counsellor, kids would make fun of you. There is no safe outlet that won’t embarrass you or make you feel safe to go and speak to someone.”
Tetyana emphasises this, saying education is one of the most important things. “Two thousand teenage girls from the ages of 13 to 15 falling pregnant in the past year or so is too many. If our children are getting involved in sexual activities, the least we can do is make sure that they are aware of their hormones and that there are options like contraceptives. Of course, I wouldn’t want my kids to have sex before the age of 18 but our children are getting pregnant, so how do we as a society and schools make sure that our children understand that they can prevent pregnancy, whether it’s protection or just delaying the whole thing. I do think that more needs to be done.”
Tetyana encourages parents to create an open space where
“taboo” subjects can be discussed and to understand that they are constant role models for children, who often mirror their parents’ behaviour. “I want to leave an impact on them, I want to give them as much information as I can.”
With more young children going through precocious puberty, remember: it’s never too early to start.
MY MOM NEVER TAUGHT ME ANYTHING ABOUT PUBERTY IN GENERAL SO I HAD TO FIGURE OUT EVERYTHING BY MYSELF
IT WAS WEIRD BECAUSE ONE BREAST STARTED DEVELOPING BEFORE THE OTHER. I HID AWAY BECAUSE IT LOOKED WEIRD AND IT FELT WEIRD
● Real names have not been used.